The Producer's Perspective Podcast with Ken Davenport

Latest Episodes:

186 - Dominique Morisseau Apr 22, 2019

Show notes

Dominique Morisseau has authored over nine plays, including The Detroit Project (A 3-Play Cycle), which includes the following plays: Skeleton Crew, Paradise Blue, and Detroit '67. Additional plays include Pipeline, Sunset Baby, Blood at the Roo, and Follow Me To Nellie's. She most recently served as co-producer on the Showtime series Shameless. She wrote the book for the jukebox musical Ain't Too Proud—The Life and Times of the Temptations. This marked Morisseau's Broadway debut, and she received a Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical nomination, the first Black woman to do so. She is a recipient of the MacArthur Foundation "Genius Grant" for 2018.

Dominique and I have been trying to have this podcast convo for a while now, and boy was it worth the wait. In a quick thirty minutes, we talked about:

How getting a great quantity of her work out in the world as she was coming up helped her improve her skills and get noticed.
Why not understanding the word “No” was an essential part of her becoming a writer in the first place.
Why she’s cautiously optimistic about where we are right now and where we’re headed with diversity in the arts. . . and what still makes her nervous.
She doesn’t read reviews. Ever. Listen why.
How long she had to be an “emerging artist” and whether or not emerging = young.

This episode of The Producer’s Perspective Podcast is sponsored by Magnolia Bakery. Visit Magnolia Bakery for freshly-baked, classic American desserts, including cupcakes, banana pudding, cakes, cheesecakes, icebox bars, and cookies. For more information, visit magnoliabakery.com or follow them @magnoliabakery.

Keep up with me: @KenDavenportBway

www.theproducersperspective.com

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185 - Julia Jordan Apr 14, 2019

Show notes

Julia Jordan is an American playwright, television writer, and screenwriter. Her plays include St. Paul, Nightswim, Summer Of The Swans, Tatjana in Color, Dark Yellow, and Walk Two Moons. In 2000, her short film "The Hat", debuted at the Sundance Film Festival. Her second short won best short film at the Jackson Hole Film Festival in 2008. She is a Lortel Fellow, Juilliard Playwright Fellow, Manhattan Theater Club Fellow, Member of the Dramatists Guild of America Council and New Dramatists. She is a founder and the executive director of The Lillys, created in 2010 to honor female playwrights and address the shortage of plays by women that get produced in America.

She founded The Lillys and has been instrumental in The Count. Don’t know what The Count is? Well, listen in and hear her tell you in her own words, as well as . . .

How the most important thing her first writing teacher did was NOT discuss the quality of her work.
What a Pulitzer Prize winner told her to do with her main character to get her play produced . . . and it worked . . . unfortunately (you’ll hear why).
Why she thinks about her audience when she writes.
What Broadway means to her . . . and why she doesn’t care if her work gets there. (Which will probably be why she DOES get there, btw.)
The shocking statistics about gender in the theater and how she is helping change that (and what you can do to help).

This episode of The Producer’s Perspective Podcast is sponsored by Daniel Rader Photo. Daniel Rader is available for production photos, events, and headshots.” Check him out/Reach out to him – www.danielraderphoto.com / @danielraderphoto on Instagram.

Keep up with me: @KenDavenportBway

www.theproducersperspective.com

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184 - Jason Moore Apr 08, 2019

Show notes

Jason Moore is a director of film, theatre, and television. He directed the musical Avenue Q, which opened Off-Broadway at the Vineyard Theatre and then moved to Broadway in July 2003. He was nominated for a 2004 Tony Award for his direction. Moore directed the 2005 Broadway revival of Steel Magnolias and Shrek the Musical. For television, Moore has directed episodes of Dawson's Creek, One Tree Hill, Everwood, and Brothers & Sisters. In 2012, Moore made his film directorial debut with Pitch Perfect. He also served as an executive producer on the sequel. He directed the film Sisters, starring Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.

On this episode, we talked about that plan and how it flies in the face of conventional wisdom, as well as . . .

Why assistant directing or searching for your own projects is the fastest path to success for a Director.
What Broadway can learn from Hollywood and vice versa (this is turning into a favorite question of mine for those with a foot on both coasts).
What it’s like directing a bio-musical where the songs can’t change, compared to a totally original musical like Avenue Q where everything can change.
Reviews and how they can help (or not).
How directing on Broadway has changed since he got his start.

This week's episode is brought to you by Will Jellicorse Photography. Will Jellicorse is a photographer and videographer who specializes in capturing subjects in unique portrait, landscape and aerial forms. He is available for booking, freelance and collaboration opportunities of any size. Check him out at www.willjellicorse.com.

Keep up with me: @KenDavenportBway

www.theproducersperspective.com

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184 - Meryl Streep Apr 01, 2019

Show notes

Meryl Streep is often described as the "best actress of her generation", she is particularly known for her versatility and accents. Nominated for a record 21 Academy Awards, she has won three. Among other accolades, she has received 32 Golden Globe nominations, more than any other person, and won eight. In 1976, she received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Play for 27 Wagons Full of Cotton and A Memory of Two Mondays. In 1978, she won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress – Miniseries or a Movie for her role in the miniseries Holocaust. Streep went on to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Kramer vs. Kramer, and the Academy Award for Best Actress for Sophie's Choice and The Iron Lady. Streep's other Oscar-nominated roles include Silkwood, Out of Africa, Evil Angels, Postcards from the Edge, One True Thing, Music of the Heart, Adaptation, Doubt, August: Osage County, Into the Woods, and The Post.

We recorded this ‘cast on my phone (apologies in advance for the less than perfect audio, but frankly get over it – you take Meryl when you can get Meryl) Her handler grabbed her after about 10 minutes so it isn’t a long one . . . but hey, it’s Meryl Effin’ Streep!

During our 10 minutes, we talked about . . .

How she chooses material . . . when she can do anything she wants.
The craft and importance of playing a diverse set of roles.
How she’s still honored to be nominated for Academy Awards, even though she’s been nominated 21 times!
Why the theater will always be her first love.
And yes, why She WOULD consider starring in a revival of Mamma Mia!

Keep up with me: @KenDavenportBway

www.theproducersperspective.com

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183 - Jennifer Tepper Mar 25, 2019

Show notes

Jennifer Tepper is producer of the musicals Be More Chill, Broadway Bounty Hunter, and Love In Hate Nation. She is also the Creative and Programming Director at Feinstein's/54 Below, and the author of The Untold Stories of Broadway book series. She is the creator of The Jonathan Larson Project and historian consultant on the upcoming film version of tick, tick...BOOM! Other credits include projects, shows, and educational initiatives with The National Alliance for Musical Theatre, The Producing Office, The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization, TEDxBroadway, The Dramatists Guild, Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS, New York City Center, the Broadway Green Alliance, and New York University.

Listen in and hear her talk about:

How she made a decision to take the plunge and produce BMC.
Her gift of getting people to talk to her, how it got her career started, and how it also led to these terrific books.
What her dream job is . . . (I bet she’ll have it at some point!)
How she got started with producing and how she encourages other young Producers to get started too.
How it has felt not only being one of the youngest Producers on Broadway but also being one of the youngest female Producers on Broadway.

This episode of The Producer’s Perspective Podcast is sponsored by Sunlight Studios. Right in the heart of the Theater District, it doesn’t get more convenient than this. To book a studio today, please visit sunlightstudios.com. Use code DAVENPORT to receive a 5% discount on bookings until April 11.

Keep up with me: @KenDavenportBway

www.theproducersperspective.com

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182 - Jason Alexander Mar 18, 2019

Show notes

Jason Alexander is an actor, voice actor, singer, comedian, and director. He is best known for his role as George Costanza in the television series Seinfeld, for which he was nominated for seven consecutive Primetime Emmy Awards and three Golden Globe Awards. Other well-known roles include Phillip Stuckey in the film Pretty Woman and the title character in the animated series Duckman. He has also had an active career on stage, appearing in several Broadway musicals including Jerome Robbins' Broadway, for which he won the Tony Award as Best Leading Actor in a Musical. He was the Artistic Director of "Reprise! Broadway's Best in Los Angeles."

You’re going to learn a lot about working in the theater and TV when listening to this podcast, but the first thing you’ll learn is the first thing I remember when I met Jason for the first time . . . he’s nothing like George Costanza. He’s one of the smartest entertainment minds around, as you’ll learn when you hear us chat about . . .

Why he started acting when he dreamed about doing something else.
How he got Seinfeld, and how it all traces back to his start on Broadway.
What Broadway can learn from film when staffing its shows (this concept blew my mind).
Why he loves directing theater and where (and who) he learned it from.
How actors play a part in the creation of a TV show, play, or musical.

Keep up with me: @KenDavenportBway

www.theproducersperspective.com

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181 - Hillary Blanken Mar 11, 2019

Show notes

Hillary Blanken is a stage manager, production manager, technical supervisor, and the founder of Juniper Street Productions, a Production Management and Technical Supervision firm specializing in live theatrical productions. She has worked on many shows such as Dancing at Lughnasa, An Inspector Calls, Seussical, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons On Broadway, and The Temptations and The Four Tops On Broadway.

Who do Directors and Producers turn to when they want illusions and animals and helicopters? Production Managers. That’s why I had Hillary on this week’s podcast, to help explain what she does and how she does it, as well as:

The secret to being a great production manager isn’t knowing how to do it all, it’s this . . .
Why sets are so expensive, and what we can do about it?
How she works with designers to help realize their vision and keep the show in budget.
What the best directors do during the preview process to help make it go smoooooooth.
Being a woman, in a backstage world dominated by men . . . so much so, that when you need more labor, someone usually says, “We need another man.”

Have you ever thought about investing in a Broadway show? Or wondered how it worked? Pick up your copy of Broadway Investing 101: How to Make Theater and Yes, Even Make Money to learn more!

Keep up with me: @KenDavenportBway

www.theproducersperspective.com

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180 - Stephen Oremus Mar 04, 2019

Show notes

Stephen Oremus is a musician who has worked on Broadway theatre productions as musical director and as orchestrator. His credits include arranger and orchestrator for the music for Avenue Q, musical director and arranger for Wicked, arranger and orchestrator for All Shook Up, and musical director for 9 to 5. His orchestrations for The Book of Mormon won him a Tony Award in 2011, for Best Orchestrations. Oremus also won the Tony Award for Best Orchestrations for Kinky Boots.

Stephen Oremus has had lots of amazing things happen to him in his career in theatre such as working on the Academy Awards, winning two Tonys, and receiving a shout out from Lady Gaga during one of her concerts. Stephen and I chatted about these three career peaks of his, as well as:

The job of a Musical Director and what makes a good one.
How working with Lady Gaga differs from working with Stephen Schwartz.
What makes a “hit” song and how he knows when he’s working on one.
His role in the creative process.
The frustrating thing about long-running shows on Broadway.

Keep up with me: @KenDavenportBway

www.theproducersperspective.com

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179 - Joan Marcus Feb 25, 2019

Show notes

Joan Marcus is a theatrical photographer based in Manhattan, New York, United States. She has been active as a theatrical photographer in Washington, D.C. and New York City for most of her career. Starting in 1986, she has been a photographer on Broadway productions, covering over a hundred shows including Wicked, The Lion King, SisterAct, and The Book of Mormon. She is considered to be "one of the preeminent Broadway photographers." In 2014, Joan Marcus was awarded a Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theatre at the New York Broadway Tony Awards.

Someone with the skill of Joan Marcus could take photos for any industry, including those who pay a lot more than we do, but she stuck it out here with us as part of the Broadway family. That’s why I was glad to have her on the ‘cast discussing things like:

How she turned her insecurity about ever working again into a multi-entrepreneurial hustle . . . including a blue-jean design company!
The keys to a great theater photo and how that photo can be used in advertising and marketing.
Her unique perspective into what makes a show work . . . or not . . .
Keeping up with technology in the arts.
What she would change about how photos are taken and WHEN.

Are you looking for a way to better promote yourself in the industry? Sign up for Promote U!, the marketing and productivity conference for theatre-makers where you’ll get practical, hands-on advice from leading experts on a range of topics.

Keep up with me: @KenDavenportBway

www.theproducersperspective.com

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178 - Sean Cercone Feb 18, 2019

Show notes

Sean Cercone served as Chief Business Officer and Senior Vice President of Professional and International Licensing for Theatrical Rights Worldwide (TRW). Since 2011, Cercone helped build TRW through the acquisition of marquee Broadway titles, and led the worldwide distribution of The Addams Family, Monty Python’s Spamalot, The Color Purple, Curtains, All Shook Up, and Memphis by achieving productions in 69 different countries. Cercone co-wrote the newest adaptation of Saturday Night Fever with collaborator David Abbinanti. He is a member of the Broadway League and previously served as the Producing Artistic Director of The Carousel and Executive Producer of Theatre Building Chicago.

Listen in to hear us chat about . . .

The biggest pain points of theaters around the world who want to license properties.
Should we release our titles to the subsidiary market earlier than we have been?
Can I show make a big splash in licensing that never plays NYC at all?
The most important characteristics of a popular show in the high school market.
How to market a show for licensing.

This week's episode is brought to you by Schmackary’s, New York City's favorite cookie shop! Check them out here: www.schmackarys.com

Keep up with me: @KenDavenportBway

www.theproducersperspective.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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